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50th National Conference: Report of the Secretary General

3: State of Organisation

There can be little doubt that the ANC
has made significant progress since the December 1994 National Conference in the
democratic transformation of South Africa.

Nor can there be any doubt that the pace and extent of that transformation
has been and continues to be directly related to the strength and cohesion of
the ANC as an organisation.

The ANC, together with the broader democratic movement, remains the chief
driving force for democratic change in this country. It follows therefore that
the state of the organisation has a direct bearing on the entire transformation
process.

We have witnessed over the last three years ample examples to illustrate and
underscore this point. Where the structures of the ANC have been weak or in
disarray, its capacity to effect transformation has been limited.

In the interests therefore of the broad strategic objectives of the ANC, it
is necessary to examine in some detail and quite critically the state of the
organisation over the past three years, and identify the areas where improvement
is required and where development is possible.

ORGANISATIONAL CHALLENGES SINCE 1994

At the 49th National Conference in December 1994, the organisation was just
beginning to get a sense of the implications for our structures of the new
democratic dispensation. At that Conference, the organisation not only
celebrated the momentous breakthrough achieved with the democratic elections in
April of that year, but also took stock of the challenges which this change
posed for the structures of the movement.

New phase of struggle

While the 1994 National Conference recognised that the struggle had entered a
new and fundamentally different phase, it has taken the organisation some time
to determine how to operate within this new context.

Though the new democratic order has created opportunities for the
organisation that were barely considered possible five years ago, it has
presented challenges for which many of the established organisational practices
and strategies seem inadequate.

Responsibility of governing

Key among these challenges are those which arise from the responsibility of
governing. While the ANC, from its inception, has always taken responsibility
for the political, economic and social future of the country, it is only since
1994 that it has had the opportunity to exercise that responsibility through
government.

Achieving peace and maintaining stability

In as much as the relative peacefulness of the country`s first democratic
election secured the success of the transition to constitutional democracy, the
ANC was always aware that its capacity to maintain stability in the period
immediately after the election would ultimately determine the extent to which a
more thoroughgoing transformation of society could proceed.

The organisation, both inside government and without, was therefore called
upon to limit as much as possible the scope for counter-revolutionary forces to
mobilise against the new democracy. The integration and re-organisation of the
security forces, in particular, was a priority area. Lingering political
violence was systematically addressed, and outstanding constitutional matters
were resolved.

Policy implementation

The entrance of the ANC into government meant that the policies which had
long formed the basis of the democratic South African vision would now have an
opportunity to be implemented.

This posed numerous challenges. Not least of these was the challenge of
ensuring that the institutions and mechanisms of governance were adequately
equipped to implement these policies. Given the fragmentation of the public
service under apartheid, the extreme bias towards serving the interests of the
white minority and the culture of corruption which pervaded the entire civil
service, this has proved a significant challenge - one which continues to test
the organisation.

At the same it has been necessary to ensure that the legislative and
executive structures to which ANC representatives were elected had the capacity
to translate policy into legislation, and legislation into delivery.

Deployment of cadreship

The deployment of the organisations cadres to parliament, provincial
legislatures and local government structures drew heavily on the organisations
human resources, but was considered necessary to properly capacitate these key
instruments of transformation. In addition, the cadres of the movement were also
being called upon to assume positions in other key centres of power including
the public sector, security services and diplomatic corps.

The organisation failed to ensure a balance between deployment into
government and deployment into organisational structures. This has obviously had
a profound effect on the capacity of the movements leadership cadres to engage
in building the organisation and participating actively in its constitutional
structures. It has also had broad implications for the ANC`s capacity to
co-ordinate and interact with its cadres deployed across a variety of sectors.

The ANC urgently needs to develop a deployment strategy for its cadres, as we
have many cadres with much experience. A successful deployment strategy will
greatly enhance the transformation process.

Maintaining cohesion

This broad deployment of cadres has made it more difficult than before to
maintain the cohesion and unity of the organisation. It has fuelled the tendency
to compartmentalise the activities of ANC cadres, and to differentiate
unnecessarily between the various elements of the broad transformation
programme.

International responsibility

The ANC`s responsibilities have not been confined to South Africa. With the
dawn of a democratic South Africa, the potential for the integrated development
of the southern African region has increased.

The refusal of our neighbouring countries to collaborate with the apartheid
regime had led to large-scale aggression from the apartheid regime which brought
about large-scale devastation in their respective countries. South Africa
therefore has a moral responsibility to play a key role in the development of
the region, and the development of the African continent more broadly.

South Africa also has an important role to play in the broader international
arena. Together with other developing countries and progressive forces, South
Africa has the responsibility to play a significant part in the achievement of a
more equitable and just world order. South Africa and the ANC are called upon to
support democratic forces throughout the world, especially in countries where
there is no democracy.

This requires from the organisation at all levels a more holistic conception
of international affairs, ongoing discussion and debate on the shape of a new
world order and a definition of our responsibilities in this regard.

Resource constraints

As anticipated, the level of external funding available to the organisation
has diminished as the country`s political environment has normalised. It is
likely that it will diminish further after the 1999 elections. The effect of
these resource constraints have been noticeable to the point where the
organisation had to cut back on its full-time staff by almost a third and embark
on other cost cutting measures.

The lack of resources has also been felt at the level of campaigns, with many
provinces reporting this as a contributing factor to local inertia.

Apart from cost cutting measures, we have to become financially
self-sufficient. Fundraising needs to become part of our programmatic work.

At the same time elements of the organisation have had to be restructured to
meet new challenges and realities related to governance, changes in the
functions of the ANC and the reduced numbers of leadership available for
full-time ANC work. This restructuring has involved the establishment of NEC
Committees and the reorganisation of headquarters departments under the offices
of the Presidency, Secretary General`s Office and Treasurer General`s Office.

ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTHS

Within these changed conditions, the ANC has had to execute the democratic
struggle with as much vigour and determination as before. The changes that are
being witnessed throughout the country : the houses that are being built, the
children that are being immunised, are all indications that the movement has
been able to respond to some of the most important challenges it has faced.

Though analyses of the organisation tend to focus on the deficiencies, there
are a number of organisational strengths which need to be acknowledged.

Moral and political objectives are still valid

The ANC continues to pursue a political and social objective whose moral and
material validity cannot be faulted. No political formation outside of the
ANC-led democratic movement has been able to develop a vision, never mind a
programme, which could be equated with or surpass that of the ANC.

It is a vision which continues to find resonance not only among the people of
South Africa, but among the peoples of the world. Whatever problems we might
identify in the pursuit of that vision, the ANC remains unflinchingly committed
to the strategic objective of the creation of a united, non-racial, non-sexist
and democratic society.

Broad mass-based movement

The ANC continues to be a broad mass-based movement drawing both its
membership and its support from across a wide spectrum of groups from different
class, race and ideological backgrounds. The ANC is a truly national
organisation, with substantial support to be found in all corners of the
country.

Through the orientation of its programmes and through its organisational
approach, the ANC has built its mass-based character achieving the support and
participation of the masses not through irresponsible populism, but through a
sincere demonstration of its commitment to the needs and interests of the
people.

Continued mass support

The local government elections outcome, supported by subsequent surveys, have
served to confirm what is evident through the ANC`s campaigns and programmes:
that it continues to enjoy the support and commitment of the vast majority of
South Africans.

It is certainly not uncritical support though. Rather it is support grounded
in an appreciation of the objective constraints facing the transformation
effort. It is support which is conditional upon the ANC`s willingness and
ability to engage with these constraints in a manner which furthers the
democratic revolution. The ANC values the fact that our members and supporters
do not see any contradiction between their loyalty and their ability to
critically evaluate what their organisation is doing.

Functioning structures

At a time when many progressive organisations, both within South Africa and
internationally, are facing organisational decay or even collapse, the ANC needs
to count among its strengths the fact that it has properly constituted
organisational structures and that the vast majority of them they are
functioning effectively.

The National Executive Committee and National Working Committee have each
managed to meet regularly and give direction to the organisation. These
structures are building capacity to provide an interface between different
components of the ANC.

The process of demarcating the organisation into nine provinces had been
completed by the last National Conference. Provincial Conferences have
subsequently been held successfully in all provinces, with only the Free State
requiring national intervention to ensure that it happened.

All regions have now been launched, though they are functioning unevenly. In
line with decisions of the 1991 and 1994 Conferences, most ANC human and
material resources are based in regions. More than 100 regional offices are in
operation, employing over 100 organisers and administrators. All nine Provincial
Executive Committees have been functioning, as have most regional executives.

The great majority of the ANC`s more than 1,000 fully-fledged branches
continue to function, hold AGMs and recruit members. New branches are being
launched regularly. Conference needs to look at how branches can be better
geared to interact with, and make an impact on, local government.

Capable leadership

The ANC has always been noteworthy for the calibre and capacity of leadership
that it has been able to develop at all the levels of the organisation. The
strength and depth of leadership has been ably demonstrated since the ANC`s
entry into government; showing great ability to adapt to new circumstances and
responsibilities.

It is an organisation which encourages all members to exercise leadership, to
give direction to the organisation and to take responsibility for its programmes
and activities.

Tripartite Alliance

The Tripartite Alliance is one of the great strengths of the movement.
Despite media speculation over several years about the imminent demise of the
Alliance, it continues to be pivotal to the democratic transformation of this
country.

Far from rendering the Alliance obsolete, the new democratic order has
underlined quite forcibly the need for the Alliance to be strengthened and
deepened. This is particularly so at regional and local level, where joint
programmes for local development are sorely needed.

The functioning of the Alliance needs fine tuning. We have not adapted our
co-ordination adequately to take into account the new political situation where
the ANC is leading government. Alliance Summits have done much to begin the
process of providing direction on this issue.

ORGANISATIONAL SHORTCOMINGS

Anyone who has observed the functioning of the organisation over the past
three years will have to concede that there are a number of areas in which the
ANC has been deficient. Some of these areas of deficiency are the direct result
of the changed conditions the organisation finds itself in. Most, however, are
the result of the organisation`s inability to respond adequately to new
challenges and circumstances.

Lack of cadre development

The development of the ANC cadre is one area where the organisation must
respond more effectively. The deployment of large numbers of experienced and
skilled cadres to government and other areas has diminished the contribution
they have been able to make to the induction, political education and training
of new recruits and new leaders.

At all levels of the organisation there has been a lack of focus on the
importance of actively and consciously developing the human resources of the
movement. As a consequence many comrades have felt ill-equipped to confront some
of the challenges facing the movement or to engage in any meaningful programmes.

This is compounded by the relative newness to the organisation of a large
number of ANC members most joined after 1990, while a large number joined after
1994. Although this is a welcome indication of the organisation`s capacity for
regeneration, it is important to acknowledge that, unlike the preceding three
decades, the vast majority of ANC members have not gone through rigorous
training or extensive experience of working in ANC structures.

The Department of Political Education has started some sterling work training
leadership of the organisation at all levels, as well as full-time staff. The
focus has been on political skills as well as on technical, management and
work-related skills for staff and leadership. The department should also be
commended for publishing "Umrabulo" as a place where ANC members can
debate topical issues.

Problems of discipline and accountability

Partly as a result of the lack of proper cadre development, the organisation
has faced problems of poor discipline. Without the political and organisational
tools generally required by ANC cadres, some comrades have flouted the
democratic principles and practices of the organisation.

Discipline, in this sense, does not merely refer to abiding by the
organisation`s code of conduct, it also refers more broadly to the
organisational discipline of mandate, report-back and accountability. It refers
to the active participation of all cadres in the development, implementation and
assessment of programmes.

Lack of co-ordination and communication

This situation has not been aided at all by the lack of proper coordination
among the structures of the movement. Communication between different levels of
the organisation has been particularly weak. The result of this is that parts of
the ANC have often been out of step with each other. Branch activists have not
been able to comprehend decisions taken at national or provincial level, while
national leaders have on occasions been taken by surprise by actions of
provinces or branches.

This has manifested itself in a number of situations over the past three
years which were often used by the media and other detractors to suggest the
organisation`s leadership is detached from the activists on the ground.

While it would be incorrect to accept the simplistic explanations of these
commentators, the ANC needs to acknowledge that the lack of adequate
communication, together with problems of cadre development, has created
unnecessary tension and hindered the implementation of the organisation`s
programme.

Relations between public representatives and constitutional
structures

Another area of weakness has been the relations between ANC cadres deployed
as public representatives and the constitutional structures of the movement.

While there is general acceptance of the primacy of constitutional
structures, different understandings have arisen around the processes of policy
formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

This problem ranges in severity from a lack of proper strategising and
occasional miscommunication between structures right through to open and violent
conflict between elected public representatives and the movement`s
constitutional structures.

This problem has emerged most acutely at a local government level where
proper accountability and consultation has in some instances been forced aside
by personal differences and bitter power struggles.

The ANC`s effectiveness in furthering the democratic transformation of this
country relies to a great extent on the satisfactory resolution of this problem.

A solution has to lie in:

ensuring that we elect capable people who we trust to take forward our
mandate and who are capable of managing governance on a day-to-day basis;

establishing proper coordination mechanisms;

demarcating clear levels of responsibility and decision-making, which
includes giving mandates to our representatives in the various spheres of
government to enable them to make appropriate decisions.

Competition for positions

The competition within the organisation for positions in government has added
a new dimension to the contestation of ANC leadership positions. Election to an
ANC leadership position is viewed by some as a stepping stone to positions of
power and material reward within government.

While such views might be inevitable, we need to ensure that personal
ambition is sufficiently tempered by the needs of the organisation and the
demands of the national democratic revolution. The organisation needs to develop
mechanisms which will ensure that the contestation of leadership positions does
not divide the organisation and does not detract from the key programmes of the
movement.

Representation of women

The ANC has not made much progress over the last three years in ensuring a
greater representation of women in the structures of the movement. While
important efforts have been made to ensure a significant representation of women
among the ANC`s elected representatives in government, this has not translated
into the constitutional structures of the organisation itself.

As a movement we have done very little, if anything, to support the few women
whom we have placed in senior positions in their additional roles as primary
caregivers in their families.

Broader than mere representation, the culture of the organisation needs to be
critically reviewed to establish the extent to which it provides an environment
which is conducive to greater participation by women.

Geographic Spread

Representation of all our provinces in our structures throughout the
organisation is still unsatisfactory. The only presence from most of our
provinces on the NEC is through the ex-officio representation of their
Chairperson and Secretary. This means that the same anomaly is carried through
into NEC Committees, the NWC and other critical structures.

This means that our structures take decisions without the benefit of
knowledge of the peculiarities of vast parts of our country. It also contributes
to the lack of sensitivity to problems in provinces. Given the history of our
country, this also means that certain cultural and ethnic communities feel that
they are not adequately represented in our senior structures.

Programmatic approach to the Alliance

While the Alliance has been crucial to maintaining the momentum of change in
South Africa, it must be noted that the ANC has not developed a coherent
approach to the Alliance under the new circumstances. A major failing has been
the inability of the Alliance to develop joint programmes.

At a national level we have seen some improvements through the functioning of
the Alliance Secretariat and the pre-planning of Alliance Summits for the year.

Policy formulation and implementation has been the area of greatest
contention within the Alliance. We need to define the role of Alliance partners
in one another`s policy processes and how we handle areas where differences
arise.

The functioning of the Alliance at provincial level is uneven, but most
provinces have satisfactory mechanisms. This, unfortunately, is not the case at
local level where conflicts have arisen.

Relations with Sanco

Our relations with Sanco also needs clarification and work. At national and
provincial levels we have managed to deal with issues and problems as they
arise, but serious problems have emerged at local level. A major problem is the
lack of clarity about what the different roles of ANC branches and Sanco
branches are.

Broad progressive movement

Active participation of all South Africans in the transformation of their
lives and our society remains a critical part of the ANC`s strategy for
transformation. A strong and vibrant civil society is therefore critical.

We have had sporadic interactions with some sectors. Some sectors participate
actively in our national sectoral co-ordinating forums, but we need to be
critical of our lack of a consistent programme to interact with and to draw on
the wisdom of organised formations of our people.

We have to assume co-responsibility for the unsatisfactory role which many
progressive organisations are playing in this period. For very understandable
reasons our capacity for regular interaction has been very limited, but the
consequent lack of information, lack of leadership have given rise to the
unsatisfactory relationships which exist between ourselves and these
organisations whose obvious political home is with the ANC

We must develop a programmatic way of interacting with progressive forces at
national, provincial and local levels.

Progressive NGO sector

We have seen a proliferation of reactionary, very well resourced
Non-Governmental Organisations of late. These NGOs have moved into the new
democratic spaces with much vigour, dominating Parliamentary hearings and making
copious submissions to commissions, among other things. On the other hand, we
find that the progressive NGO sector is experiencing a number of difficulties.

The ANC needs to ensure that the skills and resources in progressive NGOs are
not lost or undermined, but in fact harnessed for the transformation tasks which
we face. This means that the ANC need to define the relationship with government
much more coherently. The progressive NGO sector also needs to be challenged to
redefine their role and focus in terms of the new political situation which we
have fought for side by side.

Because of the dereliction of duty of the NP`s apartheid regime, a heavy
burden fell on the shoulders of the NGO sector. Now we have a democratic
government, which is committed to carrying out its obligations, the ANC and the
NGOs need to redefine their respective roles.

There is more than enough work for all of us. The challenges is to define who
does what and how we work together towards our common objective of the
thoroughgoing transformation of our society and towards building a better life
for all.

Fundraising and effective use of resources

The ANC has not responded particularly well to the diminishing sources of
income for the movement. While some provinces have made some effort at
fundraising, structures of the movement in general have failed to develop
fundraising strategies and mechanisms of the sort that would be able to sustain
the programme of the organisation.

At the same time, the organisation`s use of available resources has not been
as effective as it could be. There are still unacceptably high levels of
wastage, and insufficient mechanisms of financial control and accounting.

The organisation has not yet integrated proper budgeting into its political
planning process. As a result, programmes are embarked upon only to be abandoned
or rendered ineffective due to lack of resources.

PRESENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

It is not enough to build a strong ANC. It is necessary to build an
organisation which is well suited and adequately equipped to meet the key
challenges which face the organisation now and in the future.

Implementation of ANC Policy

For the transformation of South African society to be effective, the policies
of the organisation need to properly implemented, particularly at the level of
government. While the first three-and-a-half years of democratic government have
been characterised by the passage of significant transformational laws, there is
much that needs to be done to ensure they have their desired effect.

Our policies must reflect our strategies and tactics to attain the
achievement of our political objectives and principles in the shortest possible
time and in a sustainable manner. Unlike other political fringe elements and
parties, we cannot afford the luxury of dogma. Our approach to policies and
policy formulation needs to be one which is dynamic and which we must never be
afraid to adjust, amend or even abandon if they prove to be obsolete or
unworkable. If the tools are inappropriate, we cannot remain slaves to them.

The coordination among the ANC`s constitutional structures, its cadres in the
executive and its cadres in parliament and the provincial legislatures needs to
be improved. The ANC in all these areas needs to be working in concert to
achieve a common goal.

There needs also to be greater clarity on what the ANC`s policy is on any
given matter, and clear mechanisms need to be developed for processing and
achieving decisions on unclear policy matters.

Most importantly, the structures of the movement need to develop programmes
to complement and provide support to efforts being made in government.

Engage with society

While the ANC retains the support of the majority of South Africans, it would
be wrong to presume that the ANC and its politics will remain popular without
ongoing and active engagement by ANC cadres with society at large.

The last three years have witnessed to a certain extent the withdrawal of ANC
cadres from interacting with and providing leadership to communities. This has
enabled reactionary and opportunistic groupings to mobilise people in support of
their narrow interests.

The ANC needs to take back the ground it has conceded through inaction.

Our President continues to lead by example. He has consistently embarked on a
programme which takes him to our people, even to areas which are considered to
be hostile to the ANC. We should encourage the different forms of interaction,
like People`s Forums, which are taking place. Constituency work has not received
the attention it deserves. We should consider training MPs and staff together so
that constituency offices can also become an effective component of our
interaction with our people. The Department of Political Education and Training
has started work with our constituency staff.

Build cadres

As in the past, the ANC`s capacity to transform South Africa is dependent on
the quality of its cadreship. The organisation needs to be constantly developing
new cadres and leaders which will be able not only to lead the organisation in
the years ahead, but who would be able to play a meaningful role in government
and society more broadly.

We have found that the demands of the last three years have stretched the
human resource capacity of the movement almost to its limit. The demand for
skilled and experienced cadres will certainly not diminish in the period ahead.
The ANC must put in place now the mechanisms and the programmes which are going
to develop new cadres and build the leaders of tomorrow.

Achieve sustainability

The ANC needs to achieve a state of self-sustainability before long. It needs
not only to sustain itself politically and financially, but organisationally and
administratively. This requires a broad range of measures stretching on the one
hand from ongoing recruitment and political education, to viable and sustainable
fundraising efforts on the other. It requires also that the organisation pay
greater attention to the establishment of an effective administrative
infrastructure throughout the country, and the development among all cadres of
sound organisational skills.

We need to find creative ways of sustaining the interest of members. In part,
we need to look at the activities of branches as well as creative ways in which
we can involve members and utilise the skills of those who may not be able to be
active in the branch. In addition to recruitment, we should also look at a
membership renewal campaign.

Build democratic movement

The ANC has a responsibility to link up with all sectors and groupings in
society which share the democratic vision. This includes not only the members of
the Tripartite Alliance, the civic movement and the traditional components of
the Mass Democratic Movement, but also those groupings which have identified
themselves with the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist democracy in South
Africa.

The ANC needs to develop a broad approach to all these groupings, being able
to differentiate between their varying interests, backgrounds and
constituencies. Despite their differences, there is sufficient commonality among
all these sectors to forge a broad based movement for democratic change.

Consolidate and increase electoral support

Since the birth of the new democratic dispensation, elections have become key
vehicles of transformation. The ANC`s ability to pursue the national democratic
revolution is largely dependent on its success in winning substantial electoral
support.

The challenge for the ANC is to consolidate its current support ahead of the
1999 elections, and to increase its majorities at national, provincial and
local. In particular, the ANC needs to concentrate on improving its electoral
performances in KwaZulu/Natal and Western Cape, to enable the movement to speed
up the process of transformation in these areas.

CONCLUSION

It is clear that without a strong and vibrant ANC, the enormous challenges
which face this country will become increasingly overwhelming. A healthy
organisation is not a matter of pride or nostalgia, it is a matter central to
the achievement of the strategic objectives of the National Democratic
Revolution.

It is certainly correct that we devote far greater time and energy to the
development of our cadres through intensive political education and ongoing
political debate in all our structures. But far more than that, we need to
acknowledge that it is in the implementation of programmes, the prosecution of
struggle, that cadres are most effectively tested and developed.

It is crucial for the organisation therefore that ANC branches develop and
implement organisational programmes which involve, engage and challenge the
members of the movement.